Notes from July 24, 2025– By David Spencer
President Cara started the meeting shortly after noon by having David Harman give the Prayer. The Pledge was led by David Spencer who then tested the club’s musical ability with a robust singing of “Home on the Range”. That was followed by our traditional Rotary greeting song and everyone greeted one another. Club visitors were then introduced. Guy Bigot, a former SAFB fighter pilot and now long time Wichita Falls resident, as well as an American Airlines pilot, was introduced by Spin Van Steijn. Matt Deason brought his guest, Rance Hogue, and then Chip Filer introduced Sandy Flemming who works with HHH. Selah Ohman with the Boys & Girls Club’s Alumni & Friends Association was the guest of President Cara. Carla Dowlen then started a Brag Bucket Challenge and encouraged every table to stand up and brag! Because even if it is just the air in our lungs, we all have something to be thankful for! Several tables rose to the challenge and gave a brag. President Cara reminded us that last year, over $1,000 was raised from high-quality bragging, and we need to keep that going this year!
President Cara has also challenged our club to boost membership to 80 members this year! And today we added two new members! Andy Kocher introduced David Adams, with A1 Constructions. Ryan Pitchford, community liaison for Hospice of Wichita Falls, was introduced by Rotarian, Alan Donaldson. That makes three new red badges for the month of July! Let’s keep up the good work, Rotarians! An announcement was made reminding our group that this Saturday at 10:00am, our Roary Club will be dedicating a park bench at our Rotary Park to none other than the esteemed and beloved Jim Hughes! We will also be revealing our new Peac Pole. We would love to see a great turn out of Rotarians to this ceremony. Finally, President Cara updated us on our blood drive from earlier in the week. Historically speaking, our Rotary Club has hosted 3 drives, and helped to save an accumulated total of 126 lives! In this past drive, we saved 45 of those lives with our donations!
Josh Phillips then introduced our program. Chip Filer spoke to us this day about this year’s Hotter Than Hell Hundred Cycling Event. This is the 44th year for HHH and it is expected to have about 8,000 participants with riders from up to 10 foreign countries. The Steering Committee consists of 146 members that coordinate about 3,500 volunteers who serve in rest tops, medical tents, traffic safety, consumer shows and spaghetti dinners (to name just a few). First Bank and Corona Premier are valued sponsors of this event. There are Criterium Courses, gravel races, the Chupacabra race, off-road mountain bike race, and the Trip Threat race.
The HHH has worldwide visibility with $5.5 million to $8.4 million in local economic impact including donations to local non profit organizations like the YMCA, Scouting America, and the Children’s Miracle Network. Also, about !1.1 million in taxes for
Wichita Falls are raised through the HHH. Chip did explain the reasons behind the decrease in participation from earlier years as being related to increasing age of repeat riders, a general decrease in the cycling groups as a sport, and some residual effects of the COVID Pandemic. The HHH is promoted on social media and in magazines. Chip also mentioned that those who complete the 100 mile course on time would be receiving a special “wooden Medal” made here locally for their great accomplishment!
President Cara led us in the 4-Way Test and out the door we went.